Midnight Angel XV: I'll Be Seeing You
by Isahunter
Summary: And so it begins...


TITLE: "Midnight Angel XV: I'll Be Seeing You" (1/1)  
AUTHOR: Isahunter  
RATING: PG (Language)  
CATEGORY: V, WIP, Krycek/Other (No slash)  
SPOILERS: Up to "One Son," S6   
TIMELINE: Set in the winter of '99, but in this story the events of the episode "Biogenesis" never occurred.  
ARCHIVE: Yes, with my name and all headers attached  
FEEDBACK: Isahunter@aol.com  
DISCLAIMER: Although the other characters are of my own creation, all characters from "The X-Files" belong to Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen, Fox. No infringement intended.  
SUMMARY: And so it begins...  
NOTE: This is a continuation of the "Midnight Angel" series, available at the eXpositions web site: http://www.angelfire.com/ak3/expositions/MA.htm  
  
For my new friends at RATales, with thanks for the warm reception.  


* * *

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude that the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?"  
--Author Unknown.  
  
Days later she would look back on that moment and still cringe in shame at the look on his face. That second when Special Agent Fox Mulder led her lover back into his apartment, to retrieve his prosthetic arm and give him some semblance of dignity. When the agent said her name, and made Alex very aware that he knew exactly who she was. The split second of recognition, when his expression changed from apology to accusation. The moment the world tipped under her feet. 

"Sabryn, I think you should wait outside."

She met Fox's gaze briefly. "I'll stay right here."

But Alex didn't give her a choice. Whether out of embarrassment or anger, she wasn't sure. "Go."

The word was cold and flat. Turning around, she closed up her suitcase, slipped on her shoes, and pushed past the other agents to hurry out the door. With her head held high, trying desperately not to look like a whipped dog. The outside world was in utter chaos. FBI agents everywhere. Several official-looking cars, their doors still open in the agents' haste to catch their man. A curious woman in her mid-forties, holding a fat orange cat, arguing with several of the agents. Sabryn could only assume it was Alex's landlady.

Out of the crowd, Agent Scully stepped forward and gave her a grim smile. "I'm going to need to check your suitcase, Sabryn."

"You did this. You recognized Alex from the painting, didn't you?"

The shorter woman didn't bother to deny anything. "He's been a wanted felon for several years. He's slipped through our fingers too many times."

Handing over her suitcase, nearly shoving it into the agent's hands, Sabryn finished buttoning her shirt. "This many agents for one man. You act like he tried to assassinate the president."

"It's more personal than that. He killed Mulder's father, and may very well have been an accessory in the murder of my sister."

For several long minutes, she could only stare at the woman. Every cell in her body rebelling against the information. She wanted to race back into that apartment, wrestle her lover away from the other man, grab his hand and run. Far away, and never look back. She didn't believe a word of it. But he never had denied being a killer, had he?

"He's a pathological liar, and a turncoat. I'm just sorry you had to get mixed up with him."

"How did you find us?"

"We knew if we staked out your apartment, chances were he'd catch on to us and run. So we enlisted help. If not for your brother's insistence that we wait until one of you left the apartment, so you wouldn't be caught in the middle, we would have gotten Krycek last night."

"My brother?"

Scully nodded to the gate in the picket fence. "He's right out there."

The surge of anger that rushed through her burned like acid in her veins. Leaving Agent Scully holding her suitcase, she shoved her way past the crowd of agents and slammed through the gate. Leaning against the door of his car, Johnny looked up at her approach and stared at her with sorrowful eyes. He clearly didn't expect the fist that slammed into his jaw. He staggered slightly, his eyes widened, before regaining his feet.

"You son of a bitch! How could you do this to me?"

She had to shake the pain out of her fingers, as he blinked in astonishment and cradled his cheek. "Damn it, Mandy, I was trying to protect you."

"My name is Sabryn, and don't you fucking forget it. Do you even realize what you've done? That man in there, the one they're going to haul off to prison, made love to me last night. Do you have any idea what that means to me?"

His expression was an odd mixture of disgust, rage, and slight regret. "I know exactly what it means. I saved you a hell of a lot of trouble. He's a killer. A fugitive. And there's no way in hell he's ever going to touch my little sister again."

"Thanks to you, that may very well be true. He thinks this is my fault. He thinks I set him up."

"I wish you had. At least then you'd have some excuse for your behavior."

She glared at him, backing away before she did something rash. "I love him, John. How's that for an excuse?"

She left him standing there with his mouth hanging open.

~~~~~~~~~~

With his T-shirt bunched around his neck, Alex pulled on the ugly harness for his prosthesis and closed the clasp. Mulder had removed the handcuff for the moment, showing some odd twinge of compassion, allowing him to grab his arm and his coat before heading for the car. Maybe he'd been surprised that his fugitive hadn't put up a fight. Nevertheless, he still stood in the doorway like a watchdog poised to bite.

"Why don't you back off, Mulder? I'm not going to crawl out the window."

He wouldn't even have been able to fit his head through the tiny space. "I'm not taking any chances."

"You really get off on this shit, don't you? Catching your man. Does it turn you on? Fuel your little fantasies while you beat off at the office after hours?"

"Get your coat and let's go."

"I don't know if I should be flattered or disgusted that I'm another man's wet dream."

"I said get your coat. Your sick little mind games aren't going to work on me, Krycek."

"Mind games? Just stating the facts."

"You're trying to piss me off, so I'll rough you up in front of the other agents. Well, you can just forget it."

"Oh, come on, Mulder. You know I like it when you beat me."

He had to laugh when the other man grabbed him by the arm, shoved him towards his coat, and then escorted him out the door. Cuffed with his hands in front of him, an odd sensation since he could only feel one of them, Alex winced as they stepped into the light. And when he met her gaze, the sick choking sensation in his throat made him cough. Sabryn stood on the lawn, staring at him, her fists clenched, rocking slightly on her feet like she might spring forward at any minute.

Turning back to the man who held his arm in a vice grip, he sneered. "How long has she been working for you?"

"Believe it or not, Krycek...not everyone in this world is out to get you. She didn't have a clue."

He wanted to grab hold of that thought and squeeze it for everything it was worth. But old habits died hard. And the suspicion in his glare was strong enough to make her flinch.

Her voice was strong and steady, full of anger as she stepped forward. "Fox, please don't do this." She knew the bastard's name. "There isn't much time left."

"Sabryn--" Alex warned, but she didn't pay attention.

"Alex, tell him. Tell him what you told me about the oil. About New Year's day."

Mulder stopped in his tracks, staring at her, before shooting his gaze back to Alex. "Oh he'll tell me. He'll tell me everything."

"You've got that right."

The familiar voice that broke into the conversation made Alex grin bitterly. He looked up to meet the dense brown eyes of his former superior, Assistant Director Walter Skinner. The man he'd used for months to get information. Whom he'd tortured mercilessly, and nearly left to die. And who just happened to be holding the palm pilot that he'd confiscated from the apartment moments ago. His proud expression was priceless.

Just two weeks before the end of the world, Alex knew he was screwed.

"Get him in the car," Skinner ordered.

As Mulder started to push him forward, and the throng of agents moved out of the way, Sabryn grabbed his arm. "Let me talk to him, please."

"So talk."

Indignant that she wouldn't have any privacy, she kept walking with them. "I didn't do this, Alex. You have to believe me. I didn't know."

"It doesn't really matter what I believe, does it? It's not going to change a damned thing."

"I didn't know he knew you. I met Agent Mulder in a chat group, online."

He laughed slightly. "Whether they've already done it or not, they'll turn you against me."

"Never."

"Go with your brother, Sabryn. Get the hell out of here."

"I don't think so," Mulder interrupted. "She's staying right here until I ask her a few questions."

"Where are you taking him?" she asked.

"You're both going to the Federal Detention Center at Fort Marlene."

Alex grinned. "Home sweet home."

~~~~~~~~~~

Her head throbbed as she stared at the gray-painted concrete walls. Nervously chewing her fingernails, she paced over to the door and looked out of the metal-meshed window. The hallway was deserted, but even though she wasn't imprisoned here, like Alex, a guard stood right outside her door. Her belongings had already been searched and Agent Scully had assured her she wasn't in any sort of trouble. They merely wanted to ask her a few questions. So why the hell couldn't she stop fidgeting?

"Well, at least I can scratch 'killing a man' and 'being imprisoned' off my Things To Do Before I Die list," she muttered.

Sitting at the table behind her, Johnny added, "Don't forget 'have an affair with a known fugitive.'"

She barely glanced at him over her shoulder. "How about 'murder brother in his sleep'?"

"You're acting like this was my fault."

"If not yours, than whose was it?"

"Bryn, you had to have known he was a spy. Jesus, look at all of the shit they confiscated from his apartment. They were still pulling things out of there when we left."

"Yes, I knew. I knew from the very first day. But that didn't mean I believed it."

"But you didn't do a damned thing about it, either."

"He never lied to me, and he never hurt me. Why would I betray him like that?"

"He's a traitor to his country and a murderer. Why the hell wouldn't you?"

"You don't understand."

"No, I don't."

"He had good reasons for what he was doing, and I believe in him."

"How do you know he didn't lie to you just like everyone else?"

She looked away, waiting for the agents to return, staring at the door. She didn't have an answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alex sat on the low cot, staring at his interrogators, wondering when the hell they were going to give up. He didn't owe them any answers, and he would rather have rotted there than say a word to any of them. But the survivalist in him thought otherwise. The only way he was going to get out of there was to talk, get their attention, and make them think they needed his help. At that moment, it was easier said than done.

After nearly twenty minutes of evading Mulder's questions, only avoiding his violence by the mercy of Agent Scully, he finally decided to speak.

"You only have two more weeks before Majestic's deal with the colonists starts to take effect."

Mulder, Skinner, and Scully stared at him like he'd just spoken Sanskrit.

"Majestic?" Mulder asked.

"Your so-called 'Consortium.' There were twelve members originally, before it went global--"

"The Majestic Twelve...that's just alien mythology. Folklore."

"Or so they wanted you to believe."

"Two weeks...until what, colonization?"

"Yes. New Year's day. The millennium."

Scully crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the wall. "And what makes you think we believe you? More than likely, you're just trying to find some kind of 'Get out of Jail Free' card."

"I don't give a damn if you believe me or not. I'm probably a lot safer in here than I would be out there."

"And just where did you get your information, Krycek?" Skinner asked.

"Diana Fowley." He swept his gaze to Mulder. "She's Old Spender's good time, now."

Mulder's expression darkened visibly as he glanced over his shoulder at his partner. Scully swallowed heavily. "What about Cassandra Spender."

"I don't know where she is. Apparently they don't need her anymore. She's probably dead."

"And the vaccine?"

"As far as I know, the American vaccine still doesn't work. I'm sure the MJ boys are shitting in their pants right about now. I don't know about you, but slavery to a bunch of little gray men doesn't really appeal to me."

"There is a vaccine that works," Mulder said.

"Yes. The Russians have it. Do you want to fight them for it? I think we'll have a big enough war on our hands soon enough."

"I'm getting really tired of your smug attitude--"

"Mulder." Scully stepped forward, putting her hand on her partner's shoulder, pacifying him however momentarily.

It was almost enough to make Alex gag.

"I don't know what the hell you're so worried about, Mulder. You and Scully have already had the vaccine. You're immune. The one who should be really sweating it is Skinner."

They all stared back at him, stupefied, before everyone's attention shifted to Skinner. Taking off his glasses, the senior agent pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're saying they won't be affected by the black oil, and I will."

"They can be carriers, passing the virus on to you. But the moment you get it, you'll be little more than a carcass for the colonists to feed off of."

Mulder stared back at the ground. "Like the ship, in Antarctica. Pod People."

"Something like that."

"But with the hybrid genes--"

"With the hybrid genes, he would survive the virus, but not enslavement. He'd be working for them."

All three of the agents stared at him, tension written all over their faces.

"I want to talk to Skinner alone."

The Assistant Director frowned. "I have nothing to say to you, Krycek."

"I think you'll want to hear what I have to say."

With a heavy sigh, Skinner nodded to his agents. "Leave."

Obviously more than reluctant, Mulder and Scully stepped outside and shut the door. Taking the seat Mulder had abandoned and turning it around, Skinner sat down. "Don't waste my time, Krycek."

"I need another favor."

The other man laughed, heartily. Taking Alex's palm pilot out of his pocket, he waved it in the air. "You don't have any authority anymore, remember?"

Skinner dropped the slim piece of machinery to the floor and stood up, crushing it under his heel, grinding it against the concrete floor. Alex winced.

"You may not believe this, but there was a reason behind that torture."

"You're right, I don't believe it. You're a sadistic bastard."

Alex continued in monotone, like he was telling a story, heedless of whether or not Skinner paid attention. "The way those little machines worked in your body, all under my command, is much the same as how the slaves will work for the colonists. Those chips they implanted in their abductees...they're like little triggers. However they do it, push a button or whatever, the colonists can get their slaves to do anything. They have their own army now, and Agent Scully is one of their soldiers."

Skinner stared back at him, swallowing heavily. "What the hell does that have to do with me?"

"You were just an example."

"Yeah, well I'm about to make you an example, Krycek--"

"No, you're about to do me a favor."

Skinner laughed again. "My ass."

"I'm about to save your ass."

~~~~~~~~~~

Sabryn started at the sound of the door opening and whirled to face the spectacled agent she'd seen at Alex's apartment. Opening the door all the way, the man put on his coat and nodded to her brother.

"You two are coming with me."

"To where?" she asked.

"We're getting your family and then we're going to North Dakota."

The strange fluttering in her chest made her catch her breath. "I'm not leaving without Alex."

"Krycek isn't here."

"What--where is he?"

"Agents Mulder and Scully have escorted him back to his home."

"You're letting him go?"

"Not by a long shot. He's just packing up a few things. But right now we're getting you out of here."

"I don't understand, Agent--"

"Assistant Director Skinner." He held up the small vial he was holding in his hand. "And for now, this is all you need to know."

"What is it?" Johnny asked.

Sabryn swallowed heavily, fighting the moisture in her eyes. "It's the black oil vaccine." Taking the vial in her hand, she blinked rapidly. Glancing at the other man before turning back to her brother. "See...I told you he wasn't a liar."

* * *

END OF BOOK I.  


AUTHOR'S NOTE-- Yes, this is indeed the last story of the "Midnight Angel" series. But don't worry, it's certainly not the end of Alex and Sabryn's story. I have decided to write the next portion under the title "Morning Glory." The reason for this will become more apparent as the story continues. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me this far. Chocolate-covered Kryceks to you all! ~Isa.


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